


Das war ja keine Phase

by inlovewithfictionalcharacters



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Gay Club, M/M, canon AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-27
Updated: 2013-09-27
Packaged: 2017-12-27 19:07:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/982527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inlovewithfictionalcharacters/pseuds/inlovewithfictionalcharacters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What I like to call Klassenfahrt verse. Basically Hermann is the country boy from Bavaria on a class trip and stumbles into a Berlin gay club where he meets the true Berliner Newt. Things go from there. I have so many stories for this verse in my head.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Das war ja keine Phase

This wasn't how Hermann had imagined his school trip to Berlin to go. He had imagined Neues Museum, Fernsehturm, East Side Gallery and politics. Instead he found himself stumbling after his drunk classmates who had taken the first opportunity to escape their teachers and explore Berlin's night life. Since they had been assigned groups and the majority of the group had lied about where they were going because no one was of age yet Hermann had been forced to join them.

'And' he thought bitterly 'I will probably be blamed if they get into some kind of fight and end up dead in the gutter.' That would be just his luck.

“HEY HERMANN DU SCHWUCHTEL! KOMM HER!”

Hermann sighed innerly. The insult of his sexuality wasn't really directed at him since he hadn't come out to his classmates. He didn't doubt that not all of them were closed minded but he'd rather not risk it. He enjoyed the quiet life in Bavaria and Berlin obviously wasn't for him anyway.

Suddenly he became aware of the bouncer of the club they were near getting into an argument with Kevin, who had just called out to him. Hermann slowly got closer. He had been keeping his distance so that he wouldn't be involved in an argument with his classmates or rather get beaten up for expressing his superior intellect. 

“What seems to be the problem?” he asked the bouncer. Maybe if a reasonable, sober person talked to him they could get out of the situation. 

“The problem is that your little homophonic friend decided to exercise his right to free speech right in front of Berlin's best gay club.”

Hermann stared skeptically up to the flickering neon sign proclaiming 'DTF' in pink next to a glowing flamingo sign. The front of the building seemed like it was in need of a good paint job and the whole thing was sprayed over and over with graffiti. Now that he was standing right in front of it the whole pavement seemed to be shaken by the music blaring out of the half open door plastered with posters for events. 

“The best gay club in the city?” Then again he always had had an affinity for focusing on the wrong things at the wrong time. He caught himself and said “Don't pay any attention, please. We're just here for a week and they drank a lot of alcohol.”

“Well better be on your way then guys.” said the bouncer. In his muscle shirt proclaiming 'I didn't choose to be gay. I just got lucky.' it was fairly obviously that they would be outmatched with four drunk Bavarians and one sober one. 

If Hermann had been asked later he wouldn't have been able to tell what made him say what he said next. 

“I think I'd like to go in actually.”

The bouncer seemed taken aback by this.

“What about your friends?”

“They're not my friends and they can stay out and get stabbed or shot for all I care. I know my way home.”

The bouncer was still looking skeptically at Hermann but he stepped aside and said “Well we pride ourselves on diversity and acceptance.”

Hermann nodded at him and entered the club already regretting this spur of the moment decision. Yet he was too prideful to immediately leave and walk past the bouncer again. He decided to have a drink because surely this is what every repressed homosexual dreamed of. The big city, sweaty half-naked bodies and plenty of alcohol without ID checks. 

Maybe he was more the online dating type he thought as he looked down at his sweater west and button down shirt. Nevertheless he made his way to what seemed to be the bar but looked more like a shoddily crafted wooden crate with random chairs in front of it. He was starting to get a headache from the godawful mix playing from several speakers in all corners of the relativity small room and wished he was at home.

Trust him to be boring as well as homosexual. He didn't have any self loathing in the normal sense. It wasn't about his homosexuality at least. It was the whole uptight nerd thing he seemed to convey to people. 

Mentally preparing himself Hermann went up to the bartender.

“What would you recommend?”

“Depends on what you're into.” replied the bartender. He was wearing a similar muscle shirt as the bouncer but his was bright pink. His hair was cyan and he had several piercings in his nose and ears.

“Just give me the most popular drink” snapped Hermann who didn't appreciate being made fun of.

The guy shrugged and moved to make the drink. When he set it in front of Hermann it was a bright yellow substance in a shot glass. “That's three euros please.”

Hermann paid and downed the shot. It turned out to be a bad decision because the drink tasted like what Hermann imagined foul eggs mixed with old, sweaty socks would taste like. He was also beginning to feel a bit drowsy and the room seemed to be spinning just the slightest bit.

“Hey are your parents architects?”

Hermann blinked. “They're academics actually.” he said before he could think about it and turned to the man who had addressed him. It was a boy rather than a man he amended. He was wearing what Hermann referred to as hipster glasses and a bright neon green tank top that read 'A blow job is better than no job' as well as black skinny jeans. The guy's hair was sticking up in all directions and he was obviously sweaty from dancing.

“You're supposed to say 'Why' so I can say 'Because you're really well built.'” the guy remarked. “This doesn't seem like your sort of thing so I'll let it slide. Name's Newt. What's yours?”

“Hermann” replied Hermann. 

This made Newt laugh and Hermann frowned. Newt leaned against the bar “Sorry man I've had a couple of drinks and that name is just hilariously German, dude. You know what I mean. You're actually totally my type or I wouldn't have hit on you. Although me telling you just now is probably bad form. But I tend to babble when I drink. And when I'm sober.”

Hermann stared at Newt. There seemed no interrupting his flood of words so he let him continue talking. 

“You look smart though. In the intellectual sense I mean not style wise. Who goes to a club in a sweater west? But I digress. I like smart people. Makes it easier for them to keep up with me.”

Hermann couldn't say why but Newt intrigued him. Maybe the experience of the big city had finally gotten to him and he was just impressed by the stark contrast to his hometown. 

“I guess I fit that description then.”

“So you're cocky too? I like that. Hidden confidence is a definite turn on. As is that dorky get up. Somehow. Or maybe it just makes me want to get you out of these clothes that much faster.”

Hermann was still taken aback by Newt's direct approach. “Are you even 18 yet?”. He thought Newt looked about 16 or 17.

“Are you?” countered Newt. He did have a point there. 

“No” said Hermann while craning his neck to make sure that the bartender wasn't watching or listening. He had already gotten his drink but maybe he would need another one after all. 

“Nothing illegal here right?” said Newt. “Apart from being out past midnight, consuming alcohol...but that's just a normal night.” He laughed. Then he slung an arm around Hermann's shoulder who suddenly felt stiff as cardboard. 

“Relax man. Here let me buy you a drink.” 

Before Hermann could protest Newt had given the bartender a sign and a glass with another unknown drink in a weird color had been set in front of him. He took it with a slightly shaky hand and began slowly but surely draining it. He didn't try to chuck it it like the previous drink due to the bad memory still fresh in his mind. 

“So what brings you here? You're not a native I can tell.” Newt raised both his eyebrows.

“School trip. I ditched my asshole classmates before they could get into a fight with the bouncer for calling me a fag.”

“Woah Hermann” Newt was smiling openly at him now “I didn't know you had it in you man! Good for you shaking off those losers because I've seen Tim throw out guys before. He's not to be trifled with.” 

Hermann found himself returning the smile and a warm fuzzy feeling settled in his chest. He didn't know whether it was the alcohol or the attention he was getting from Newt but it felt good. 

He turned around to face the dance floor if it could be called that. “So what brings you here?” he asked Newt. In his head he cursed himself because that did not sound as smooth as he had wanted it to. Screw his lack of experience.

“Oh actually my uncle is a musical engineer and friends with the owner. He helped set up the DJ booth and the turntable. He used to come here himself but he has a boyfriend now and has settled down.” Newt grinned. “But I figure I'm still young and the family bonus doesn't hurt if you want free drinks.”

Hermann suddenly noticed that Newt hadn't paid for the drink he had treated Hermann to. Well that gesture seemed less meaningful now. If a random flirtation in a club could ever be meaningful. 

Apparently Newt took his silence as a cue to talk more and continued. “I sometimes crash at his place since it's closer and he has a guest bedroom. My parents don't really mind. They're musicians so I basically grew up super liberal.”

“Must be nice. Being so independent.” remarked Hermann before he could think about it. 

While his parents had always encouraged his studies and never mistreated him he always felt like something was missing. Between all his siblings everything had always been a group activity. It seemed like Newt had so much freedom. Hermann had never really challenged his parents for freedom but now he wondered what it would be like to have it. 

“I can't say it isn't” grinned Newt unaware of Hermann's inner conflict “But look at it this way dude. You ditched your asshole classmates and you're here in the best city in the world and single in a gay club. Your situation could hardly be better.”

“I don't really know the city. I stumbled upon this place by accident and I feel a bit out of place.” The alcohol had started to set in more and Hermann found himself less inhibited and more willing to talk about his feelings. 

Somehow this seemed to cheer Newt up even more. Hermann frowned. Was the experienced city boy laughing at the boy from Bavaria?

“Don't look so dejected man! I was just thinking: Who better to show you around than a true Berliner? And you can't get any more Berlin than me. In Spree Wasser getauft!” 

Before Hermann could react the music changed. He realized that he knew the song. It was a song about Berlin by some reggae band. He didn't know the name of the song or the band but he knew that song. That alone made him suddenly feel more confident.

Newt grabbed his hand and started pulling him towards the dance floor. “Come on Hermann! What better way to get the full Berlin experience than to this song!” He let go of Hermann's hand and threw his arms out only to raise them above his head. Hermann caught a glimpse of what might have been a tattoo near Newt's bellybutton. 

Newt followed his gaze and laughed “Free disposable tattoos some guy was handing out at the toilets. It's Hello Kitty! You like?” Hermann nodded despite himself and Newt grabbed his hand to pull him closer. 

“Come on let's dance like nobody's watching. First rule of the Newton Geiszler guide to Berlin: You're never seeing these people ever again so do what you want and to hell with everything else.”

Hermann found that the drinks he had had were doing the job and he felt strangely happy. It was an unusual feeling. He was much more used to just content. The only time he ever felt really happy was when he was solving math problems. Another way he stood out.

Hermann was now close enough that it seemed like every part of his body was touching Newt. He didn't care anymore. Just like Newt had said. Who would judge him in a small gay bar in the middle of Berlin full of people he'd never see again. The thought of not seeing Newt again was strangely painful. They had only known each other for an hour at the most but Hermann still didn't like the idea. 

Newt started a sort of swaying slow dance that didn't fit the type of music being played but Hermann didn't mind. He pushed his gloomy thoughts away. He realized he had lowered his head on Newt's shoulder and backed away a bit to look Newt in the eyes. He found Newt staring back and suddenly felt a fluttering in his stomach. He somehow knew it wasn't related to the drinks or the loud music or the unfamiliar surroundings.

Newt's face got closer as he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Hermann's lips. Hermann stood frozen in shock on the dance floor with Newt still holding on to his arms. Newt seemed to take Hermann's rigid stance as rejection and pulled away. He had opened his mouth and was obviously trying to apologize but Hermann decided that for once he was going to (as Newt had put it) “ do what he wanted and to hell with everything else”. He threw his arms around Newt's neck and pulled him in for another kiss.

When they parted Newt was smiling. “I know this is a bad line but for the real experience you should sleep in a real Berliner bed don't you think?” Hermann found himself nodding and before he knew it Newt was dragging him out of the club and onto the street lamp lit street. 

Once they were outside Newt turned to Hermann “Did I promise too much when I told you I'd show you the best things about Berlin?”

Hermann smiled and shook his head “You didn't exaggerate one bit.”

**Author's Note:**

> This started off as an idea in the German part of the Pacific Rim fandom on tumblr. Title is from my one and only Newt song Ritalin/Medikinet by Kraftklub. And because the Newmann fandom has a thing for German titles.  
> Translations:  
> “HEY HERMANN DU SCHWUCHTEL! KOMM HER!” - "Hey Hermann fag! Get over here!"  
> "In Spree Wasser getauft" - "Baptized in Spree water" Spree is a river that flows through Berlin. 
> 
> Anyway they're talking German the whole time I just thought this mix might be easiest for me since I'm used to writing in English but there are some things only German can convey.
> 
> Timeline wise this is 2007 around May because Hermann would still be 17 for a month and Newt would already be 17. 
> 
> Also I might write a morning after some time but I wanted to get this out first of all.


End file.
